Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

क्षणादि कालरूपाय नानारूपाय शार्ङ्गिणे । गदिने चक्रिणे तुभ्यं दैत्यचक्रविमर्दिने

Transliteration

kṣaṇādi kālarūpāya nānārūpāya śārṅgiṇe | gadine cakriṇe tubhyaṃ daityacakravimardine

Translation

Salutations to You who are Time itself—from the instant onward—who assume countless forms; to the wielder of Śārṅga, to the bearer of mace and discus; to You who crush the hostile circles of the daityas.

Word by Word

• क्षणादि: moment and the like
• क्षणादि: Adhikarana/Qualifier (विशेषण-प्रयोग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण + आदि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचन-प्रायः समासपूर्वपदत्वे अव्ययीभाववत्; अत्र समासः तत्पुरुषः (क्षणः आदिः यस्य/क्षणादयः)

• कालरूपाय: to the one whose form is Time
• कालरूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल + रूप (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कालस्य रूपम्)

• नानारूपाय: to the many-formed one
• नानारूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (नाना रूपाणि यस्य/नानाविधं रूपम्)

• शार्ङ्गिणे: to the bearer of Śārṅga (bow)
• शार्ङ्गिणे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्ङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; इन्-प्रत्ययान्त (धनुषः शार्ङ्गस्य धारकः)

• गदिने: to the mace-bearer
• गदिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; इन्-प्रत्ययान्त (गदाधरः)

• चक्रिणे: to the discus-bearer
• चक्रिणे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; इन्-प्रत्ययान्त (चक्रधारकः)

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• दैत्यचक्रविमर्दिने: to the crusher of the demon host
• दैत्यचक्रविमर्दिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य + चक्र + विमर्दिन् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (दैत्यानां चक्रं/समूहं विमर्दयति)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-kṣetra (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu appears as a cosmic form where time-waves radiate outward; in his hands Śārṅga bow, gadā, and Sudarśana chakra; daitya ‘circles’ (cakra) shatter like dark rings around him.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Śārṅga (bow)
• Gadā (mace)
• Cakra (discus)
• Daityas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord transcends and governs time, manifests in many forms, and protects devotees by subduing adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred frame of this chapter; the verse itself is a universal Viṣṇu-stuti.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicit; devotional remembrance (smaraṇa) of the Lord’s attributes is implied.